Syzygium australe plant named ‘4tune8one’

ABSTRACT

A new a distinct of  Syzygium australe,  which is a periclinal chimera arising from a spontaneous mutation (sport) in a stock plant of a standard green  Syzygium australe,  is described. This new variety comprises a unique variegated leaf color, vigorous growth and compact foliage habit making it suitable for hedging plants, topiary species and tub specimens in domestic, commercial and recreational settings.

Botanical classification: Syzygium australe.

Cultivar denomination: ‘4Tume8one’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Syzygiumaustrale, and herein after referred to by the varietal denomination ofthe new species ‘4tune8one’.

Syzygium is a genus of about 500 species occurring in tropical andsubtropical rainforests. There are about 50 species in Australiaoccurring in the Kimberly region of Western Australia, the NorthernTerritory, Queensland and northern New South Wales. The species formerlyknown as Eugenia australis is now regarded as two separate species,Syzygium australe and S.paniculatum.

S.australe is a common plant of coastal and highland rainforests fromsouthern New South Wales to central Queensland. In nature it can reachover 25 meters in height but is usually smaller in cultivation. Theleaves are opposite (each pair emerges from the stem at the samelocation but on opposing sides), rounded and bright, glossy green incolor. White flowers are followed by large, fleshy, red fruits inprofusion. These are ovoid in shape and around 20 mm long with a largeseed. The fruits are edibile and are often made into jams. They can alsobe eaten fresh and have a crisp, refreshing texture.

S.australe is a hardy tree in most temperature and subtropical climatesand is cultivated in most Australian states. It prefers rich soils andassured moisture. At least two compact forms have been marked in recentyears. These probably grow to no more than 2 meters and may be foundunder the names ‘Blaze’ and ‘Tiny Trev’. The compact forms are suitablefor growing in large containers.

There is an ongoing need worldwide, and in particular in the UnitedStates of America, for bushy, attractive, vigorous growing hedgingplants, topiary species and tub specimens. Such plants find use indomestic, commercial and recreational settings such as parks andgardens.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘4Tune8one’ is a periclinal chimera resulting from a spontaneousmutation (sport) in a stock plant of a standard green Syzygium australegrowing on the property of the inventor in Cooroy, Queensland,Australia. The new variety has been propagated vegetatively through sixgenerations and have shown that the unique features of this new plantare stable and reproduced true to type.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS AND COMPARABLE VARIETIES

The most similar variety known to the inventor is the variety ‘PearlyShowers’, the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,286, issued Sep. 25,1984. ‘4tune8one’ differs from ‘Pearly Showers’ in that leaves emergeall year round, have a different leaf color, abundant flower developmentand persistence, and edible seeded fruit.

The primary features of this new variety which are distinctive overexisting types comprise its variegated leaf color, vigorous growth andcompact foliage habit. New growth comprises a combination of red huesoccurring where the green parts of the mature leaf will eventually be.As the leaves mature the coloration changes to a yellow and yellow-greenalong the edges, and variable tones of brown-green, yellow-green andgreen in the centre of the leaf. Leaves show varying degrees of speckledand dappled variegation. Vigorous growth of this new variety includesnew leaves emerging all year round, and leaves may persist even whenstems mature into branches. The compact foliage habit with a densefoliage crown is observed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying photographic illustrations show typical species of thenew variety, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible tomake in a color illustration of this character. Colors in the photographmay differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription below, which accurately describes the colors of the newplant species.

FIG. 1 comprises a close up view of flowers of ‘4tune8one’. Note thewhite petals and pink-red colored sepals and the unique variegation ofeach leaf.

FIG. 2 comprises an overall view of variegated foliage on a 5-month-oldplant.

FIG. 3 comprises a close-up of mature variegated foliage.

FIG. 4 comprises a view of the scarlet red new growth.

FIG. 5 comprises a view of the color change of the plant as stemmatures.

FIG. 6 comprises a view of a mother stock plant with normal greenleaves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

Syzygium australe, ‘4Tune8one’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental, cultural, and light conditions. The followingobservations and descriptions are of plants grown in containers atCooroy, Queensland, Australia. Phenotypic expression may vary with lightintensity, cultural, and environmental conditions. In this description,color is by reference to The Royal Horticultural Society chart (RHS) inrespect of plants, for plants from 5 months to 2 years old.

-   Propagation:

The new variety developed from a natural sport of a Syzygium australetopiary at the nursery of the inventor, Graham Fortune in Cooroy,Queensland, Australia. The natural sport appeared in January 2003. Sevenoriginal sport cuttings were taken from the mother plant by the inventorand propagated on his property. The new variety is readily propagated,with 13,000 plants produced up to February 2006 on the inventor'sproperty.

The new variety has been propagated vegetatively with 13,000 plantsproduced so far by vegetative propagation (asexual reproduction fromstem cuttings). Only three off-types were observed amongst this groupdemonstrating extreme stability and uniformity.

The new variety is vegetatively propagated from root cuttings, stemsections or by tissue culture.

-   Plant description:

The new variety is a medium sized, vigorous, single or multi-trunkedtree with a dense foliage crown. Ultimate height is unknown, but ispresently 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It is probable that incultivation this cultivar will reach a height of 23 feet and width of 5feet. The non-variegated parent can reach an ultimate height of 70 feet.

-   Trunk description:

The trunk of ‘4tune8one’ has a diameter of 0.65 inch when the tree is aheight of 1 foot, 6 inches high and at a height of 6 feet tall thediameter of the trunk at ground level is 1.65 inches; when grown with asingle trunk. The surface texture of the trunk is smooth with nodiscernable shedding bark. The texture of the trunk directly subtendinga branch can have a slightly fissured appearance. The color of the trunkis a combination of RHS 198C, RHS 156C and RHS 199D.

-   Stem and branch description:

Stems and branches of ‘4tune8one’ are disposed opposite each other,upright and 4-angled (0.16 inch×0.12 inch) and have a smooth texturewhen young. Internodes of the young stems range from 0.39 inch to 0.71inch, increasing with age to a maximum internode length of 1.26 inches.The initial color of stems ranged from glossy orange-red RHS 44A throughto glossy scarlet-red RHS 45B. The color darkens with age to dullorange-red RHS 53A as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Young stems have alongitudinal internodal scar/right in line with the base of the petiolewhere leaves are attached to the stem, they vary in color from red RHS46A to bright red RHS 45C. The internodal scar/ridge are not visibleafter stems reach a diameter of 2.36 niches. As stems age and thickenthe color changes to a dull yellow-green RHS 150C undertone with agreyed-yellow RHS 160C overtone. The mature stems and branches have asmooth texture with no discernible shedding bark. Branches will formfrom the main trunk/s from ground-level up.

-   Leaf description:

Leaves of ‘4-tune8one’ are simple, shiny and shaped ovate to ellipticwith young tips of leaves being acute. Mature leaves can be up to 1.7inches long and 0.91 inch wide, with petioles being up to 0.24 inchlong. The petioles are 4-angled (0.03 inch×0.03 inch) and have a smoothtexture. The leaves have entire margins and are arranged in oppositedecussate pairs. The upper surface texture of the leaf is smooth withthe mid rib forming a slight depression along its entire length. Thelower surface of the leaf is smooth with the mid rib being prominent andraised. Some mature leaves can have a crinkled appearance and texture,especially the variegated sections. Leaves are normally carried on 45°angles to the stem/branch. Leaves can be persistent even when stemsmature into branches. New leaves emerge all year round, which is unusualfor the species and compared to the cultivar Syzygium peniculatum‘Pearly Showers’ U.S. Plant Pat. 5,286.

-   New foliage:

The new growth comprises one or a combination of the following redtones: RHS 53A, RHS 53B, RHS 47A, RHS 46B, RHS 45A, RHS 45B. Thesecolors occur where the green part of the leaf will eventually be. Thered pigmentations are especially vivid during cooler months.

-   Mature foliage:

The upper surface color of mature leaves is yellow-green RHS 153C,RHS153D, RHS 151A, RHS 151B, RHS 151C, RHS 151D, RHS 18C and RHS 11Calong the edges and variable tones of color ranging from brown-green RHS152B, yellow-green RHS 144A and green RHS 137A in the centre. All leavesshow varying amounts of speckled and dappled variegation in each leaf.Some leaves can have up to 5 combinations of the above mentioned colorsor can appear to only have two. Each leaf has a unique form ofvariegation as depicted in FIGS. 1-5. The lower surface color of matureleaves can be a combination of RHS 146A, RHS 151A and RHS 151C. Thedegree of variation and variegation is much more defined in the uppersurface of the leaf. As leaves mature the darker green areas of thelamina appear to have a slightly raised and crinkled texture in contrastto the light areas of the variegation which appear sunken and slightlydistorted.

-   Inflorescence/Reproductive organ description:

Flowers and fruit of ‘4tune8one’ appear in early summer and continuethrough to early autumn. The flowers are 0.59 inch to 0.83 inch widewith numerous, between 60 and 90 conspicuous stamens (as shown inFIG. 1) that are 0.51 inch to 0.83 inches long and have a whitish colorof RHS 155D. The flower has a single pistil which is 0.06 inches longand is centrally located on the receptacle. The flower has four petalswhich are 0.16 inch to 0.24 inch long free and spreading. The lower andupper surfaces of the petals have a smooth texture; they have an entiremargin and have a whitish color of RHS 155D. The petals apex and baseare both obtuse in shape. The flower has four sepals with apices of anobtuse shape which are initially RHS 141D in color and change to RHS 48Cwith age to a final mature color of RHS 53C, this coloration occurs onthe upper and lower surface of the sepals (as shown in FIG. 1). Theaverage size of the sepals is 0.13 inches long and 0.18 inches wide,with entire margins and a smooth texture on the upper and lowersurfaces. The inferior flowers appear in small clusters/panicles of 3 to5 flowers with pedicels up to 0.39 inch long. The pedicel has a smoothsurface texture and has a green color of RHS 144B. The hypanthium iscampanulate in shape and 0.2 inch long. The peduncle has an averagelength of 0.61 inches long, has a smooth surface texture and has a greencolor of RHS 146B. The flowers appear throughout the foliage of theplant towards the ends of branches giving a showy appearance. Theflowers have an average life of 3 to 4 days after blooming and don'thave any discernible fragrance or perfume. The fruits that form arefleshy and single seeded and are obovoid in shape, 0.59 inch to 0.98inch long by 0.31 inch to 0.79 inch wide that range in color from darkpink RHS 55A, deep pink RHS 54A and red RHS 53A. The fruits havepersistent sepals and the surface texture of the fruit is smooth andsilky with some minute dimpling. The edible fruits ripen through autumnto winter.

Winter growth of ‘4tune8one’ is comparable with other Syzygium australeand Syzygium paniculatum.

The environmental temperature ranges the ‘4tune8one’ can tolerate rangefrom 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 Degrees Fahrenheit.

-   Disease/Drought resistance description:

Under conditions of limited water availability the new variety revivesquickly on the application of water.

In general, ‘4tune8one’ has been observed to be no more susceptible topests and diseases than other commercial varieties.

1. A new and distinct variety of Syzygium australe plant, substantiallyas shown and described.